Learn to be prepared

April 19, 2008

Somerset Borough Police and Pennsylvania State Police presented an informative session on robberies for merchants.

It is more difficult to prepare for a robbery because they are infrequent. But store owners and managers should take certain steps, including evaluating the businesses’ lighting, adding video and audio surveillance and varying hours of taking deposits to banks.

The police also advise store employees to make eye contact with people coming in to the store and to greet them because the robber may then think he has been recognized and will leave without robbing the business.

Store owners or managers should also review with employees what steps to take when they are robbed, to observe details about the robber, but not to confront them.

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We were glad to see about 60 people took time from their busy schedules to attend the forum. Thank you to the police departments for conducting it.